


embers, we're burning bridges down

by asterbells



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Introspection, except for like two tiny parts at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 18:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4190157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asterbells/pseuds/asterbells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kunimi Akira is 12 years old and vaguely curious when he first meets an excitably eager and awkward Kageyama Tobio. Kunimi Akira is 14 years old and dismissive when he leaves the egocentric king behind.</p>
<p>Or: A short introspection of Kunimi on the topic of one Kageyama Tobio.</p>
            </blockquote>





	embers, we're burning bridges down

**Author's Note:**

> My first Haikyuu and AO3 fic and this is something that churned itself out after I saw [this post here](http://lynxian.tumblr.com/post/98272989439/wherein-i-translate-some-belated-stuff-from-the). 
> 
> Basically ever since Kageyama was all "but i never saw you smile like that once in the three years we've been together" I've read the tWO FICS THAT FEATURE THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND BOTH ARE STILL MORE KINDAICHI THEN KUNIMI but yeah I was just like "ok fine" but then that post appeared and then my brain was just like "lmao fic time let's go grab that invitation sitting in your email from like 900 years ago for ao3 bye."

Kindaichi made up with Kageyama.

Except he didn’t really--Kindaichi is too prideful for that. Prideful, and maybe just a little hurt, just a little disturbed by Kageyama’s newfound trust and relations with his new team, his new spiker.

The apologies and accommodations.

The teamwork.

He probably wonders if that could have ever been them. If there had just been more words between them, more chances, more time, maybe they could have been something more.

They were friends, once, he thinks.

Kunimi thinks Kindaichi is being stupid and should concentrate on collecting the scattered volleyballs so they can go home.

 

\--

 

It’s 19-11 to Aoba Jousai in the first set when Kageyama sets a missed toss to the tall and caustic middle blocker. 19-11 when Oikawa-san sets a perfect toss to Hanamaki-san to spike and 20-11 when Kageyama is switched out for the ash-blonde setter.

Egocentric kings can never truly mingle with the peasants, Kunimi thinks. He turns and gets back in position.

He ignores the slight warring of disappointment and relief churning in his stomach.

 

\--

 

It’s 16-17 to Karasuno in the second set when Kageyama comes back and tries to smile. Kunimi starts to think that maybe it was a good thing Kitagawa Daichi only ever saw the tyrant and 18-17 when Kunimi marvels at the depth of social constipation he had not known was possible until seeing Kageyama high-five the bald wing spiker.

His marvelling slowly slips away to be replaced by nagging suspicions when he sees the annoying decoy, when he sees Karasuno _literally teach_ Kageyama how to interact (awkwardly) with his teammates to work together. There’s no way anybody can actually be as socially inept as Kageyama is making himself out to be right now he is a _tyrant_ an _egocentric king who only does what he wishes and_ -

Kageyama and the tall middle blocker have just successfully blocked Iwaizumi-san’s spike have just won the set and Oikawa-san is saying that Kageyama is learning to read trust read _people_ but the final set is starting, Seijou still has a game to win, and it may be his turn soon so Kunimi turns his attention back to the court.

 

\--

 

His feint goes through and he’s cheering with his team when he catches a glimpse of Kageyama’s horror-stricken face. 

It’s a bit of an exaggeration over one point even if it is Seijou’s match point, he thinks. This is all the energy he’s saved, all the reckless plays he abstained from, this is _his_.

 

\--

 

When Seijou loses to Shiratorizawa, when all of their strategies, practice, experience, fails in the face of brute force, when Kunimi’s running and jumping with all he has and it’s _still not enough_.

When Ushiwaka’s last strike blows through their last block, Kunimi wonders if maybe he could have done even just a little bit more.

 

\--

 

It’s later when he’s somehow lumped together with the sharp Karasuno middle blocker that Kunimi allows himself to remember. 

He lets himself remember the first time Kageyama subbed in for Oikawa-san back in Kitagawa Daichi. The same time Kageyama ran off to ask Oikawa-san to teach him his serve when everyone thought that was a bad idea.

The time when the hyperactive shorty from Karasuno still wore green and spiked the ball so hard and so quickly from an impossible from a _missed _toss that despite the wide margin on the scoreboard no one was satisfied with the results.__

The time after when, maybe still stinging a little bit from the impossible spike, he ignores Kageyama’s confused face when Kunimi lashes out against the difference between playing seriously and playing recklessly.

The time no one even tried to spike Kageyama’s toss and Kunimi thinks that maybe he can pinpoint the exact moment Kageyama realizes that the commoners have overthrown the king.

The time Kageyama comes back uncomfortable and restless, but apologetic and cooperative before winning the practice match and (not) making up with Kindaichi.

The time that even though Oikawa-san finds and accepts his “laziness,” Kunimi still flinched when Oikawa-san first called him out on it, because he really should have been putting in the effort.

The time that maybe Kageyama wasn’t so distraught over Kunimi getting the feint through, but how Kunimi is smiling and playing like he never has with him.

He finally lets everything he pushed away to the back of his mind come back out and he isn’t stupid. 

If nothing else, Kunimi Akira is smart. Smart enough to piece together the puzzle pieces, smart enough to fill in the missing ones, smart enough to realize that Kageyama Tobio is a really socially inept person. 

Smart enough to realize that if there had been more words between them, maybe Kitagawa Daiichi could have been something more.

That while the excitable, eager, _awkward_ 12 year old he met all those years ago became an egocentric king, _they_ were the ones to burn the castle down.

They were friends, once, he thinks.

 

\--

 

_...Is Kageyama doing alright?_

_Aside from the fact that tests are coming up._

_(lol)._

 

\--

 

_You’ll be stepping out of our way this time as well, Tobio-chan!_

_*Thud*_

_WAHAHAHA!!_

 

\--

 

“Didn’t we always tell you not to get too caught up in Oikawa-san’s pace? Well since it’s you I guess we should just be glad it looks like you got through exams alright.”

“Aah??!”

“Let’s have a good game, Kageyama.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> So to make it clear at the end Kunimi is kind of gently ribbing Kageyama on after Kageyama gets lead on by Oikawa (sigh) right before their 2nd match. I just REALLY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE TWO OK I kind of just assumed they were at least on friendly relations pre-king and seriously I need a fic about them I cannot write one myself that'll do it justice like BABY KAGS USED TO BE SO CUTE WHAT THE HELL MAN.
> 
> Overall I'm not sure how satisfied I am with this mess of unbeta-ed run-on sentences but thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Kudos, comments, and criticisms are all appreciated!!
> 
> The italicized quotes taken from lynxian and Casanova Scan and title is taken from [Embers and Envelopes by Mae](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11JMp8yrY70). In retrospect I probably should have titled this with literally any other part of the song.
> 
> tei-gen.tumblr.com


End file.
